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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


CATECHISM 


OB, 

AN  EASY  INTRODUCTION  TO 

THE 

Vegetable  Kingdom  : 

FOB 

THE  USE  OF  SCHOOLS  AND  FAMILIES, 


BY  WILLIAM  MAYOR,  L.  L.  D. 

AUTHOR   OF   TRAVELS,     AND    MANY 
OTHER   POPULAR    WORKS. 


With  Alterations  and  Improvements- 


New- York  : 

PUBLISHED    BY     SAMUEL    WOOD    &   SONS, 
NO.  261,  PEARL-STRSET; 

And  Samuel  S.  Wood  &  Co.  No.  2J2,  Market-street, 
Baltimore. 


(COPY  RIGHT  SECURED.) 

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ADVERTISEMENT. 


To  expatiate  in  favour  of  an  acquaintance  with  Bot- 
any, and  to  enumerate  the  superior  advantages  of  the 
Linnaean  arrangement,  would  be  wholly  unnecessary. 
Not  only  professional  men,  but  most  persons  of  educa- 
tion, of  both  sexes,  either  have  obtained,  or  wish  to  ac- 
quire some  knowledge  of  this  fascinating  science,  which 
gives  an  interest  to  the  most  cultivated  scenes  ;  but 
which  is  pursued  and  enjoyed  with  the  greatest  effect 
where  ,  nature  has  been  most  unpropitious,  and  where 
only  the  shepherd  and  his  flock  diversify  the  landscape. 
It  is  in  such  situations  indeed,  —  on  the  mountain,  or  by 
the  side  of  the  stream,  on  the  downs,  and  in  the  wood*, 
that  the  most  curious  and  most  inviting  productions  of 
nature,  are  to  be  found.  As  agriculture  extends  its  in- 
fluence, the  habitats  of  many  plants  are  destroyed  ;  and 
the  lover  of  Botany  is  obliged  to  seek  for  gratification 
where  the  charms  of  vegetable  nature  are  unveiled  in  all 
their  original  variety  of  pleasing  forms. 

The  present  humble  performance  is  intended  solely  as 
an  introduction  to  the  science  ;  and  has  been  drawn  up 
with  some  care  for  the  use  of  those  to  whom  it  is  address- 
ed. As  names  and  distinctions  must  be  acquired,  be- 
fore any  further  progress  can  be  made  in  the  study,  and 


IV.  PREFACE. 

as  the  tenacious  memory  of  youth  is  peculiarly  fitted  for 
receiving  and  retaining  them,  a  work  of  this  kind  can- 
not too  early  be  put  in  their  hands.  It  will  be  to  Bot- 
any, what  a  grammar  is  to  language — the  first  step* 
though  not  the  ultimate  end.  In  the  last  chapter,  how- 
ever, an  attempt  has  been  made  to  enlist  curiosity  in 
the  service,  by  showing  that  Botany  is  not  unproduct- 
ive of  advantage  ;  and  that  it  is  not  merely  a  science 
of  names,  as  the  ignorant  and  the  idle  have  wished  to 
represent  it.  If  the  fruits  of  the  earth  are  applicable  to 
so  many  valuable  purposes,  and  if  danger  must  arise  to 
those  who  are  not  able  to  distinguish  between  the  salu- 
tary and  the  noxious,  no  more  need  be  said  in  favour  of 
a  study  which  equally  recommends  itself  to  our  reason 
and  to  our  fancy.  W.  MAYOR. 


Catechism  of  Botany. 


CHAP.  I. 

DEFINITIONS. 
Tht  Parts  of  Plants,  &c. 

1.  Q.  What  is  the  definition  of  a  vegeta- 
ble ? 

A.  Vegetables  which  constitute  the  sec- 
ond kingdom  of  nature,  according  to  the 
difinition  of  Linnaeus,  "  grow  and  live  ;"  or 
they  may  be  described  as  organical  bodies, 
which  draw  the  matter  of  their  nourishment 
and  growth  generally  from  the  earth,  by 
means  of  pores  or  vessels,  placed  on  their 
external  surface- 

2.  Q.  Are  not  vegetables  very  extensive  ? 

A.  Not  less  than  twenty  thousand  spe- 
cies have  been  described.  They  extend 
from  the  small  mosses  and  other  minute 


6 


plants  which  are  intermixed  with  the  com- 
mon grass,  to  the  towering  pine,  and  the 
majestic  spreading  oak.  The  various  kinds 
of  grasses  which  cover  the  earth,  the  grain 
from  which  we  receive  our  nourishment,  the 
flowers  of  all  hues  and  forms,  which  capti- 
vate by  their  beauty,  and  exhale  the  most 
fragrant  odours,  the  shrubs  which  adorn  our 
gardens  and  plantations,  and  stately  trees 
that  fill  our  roads  and  forests,  all  belong  to 
the  vegetable  kingdom. 

3.  Q,.    Are  all   plants  composed   of  the 
same  principles  ? 

A.  When  subjected  to  chemical  analysis, 
they  are  all  found  to  contain  calcareous  earth, 
oil,  water,  and  air,  with  a  small  portion  of 
iron,  to  which  last  principle  they  owe  their 
beautiful  colours.  But  though  more  or  less 
of  the  same  materials  enter  into  the  compo- 
sition of  each,  they  are  as  much  diversified 
in  their  qualities  as  in  their  forms. 

4.  Q,.    Is  the  inward  structure  of  plants 
the  same  ? 


A.  Though  (he  inward  structure  must  of 
necessity  be  as  diversified  as  the  external 
form,  all  plants  on  dissection,  when  viewed 
by  the  aid  of  microscopes,  appear  to  be  in- 
terwoven with  complicated  meshes,  which 
vary  in  endless  diversity,  yet  are  perfectly 
regular  in  the  same  objects. 

5.  Q,.  Are  there  not  various   natural  di- 
visions of  plants  ? 

A.  Without  regarding  the  natural  families 
of  plants,  as  they  are  called,  or  such  as  re- 
semble each  other  in  their  general  appear- 
ance, which  it  would  lead  me  too  far  to  par- 
ticularize in  this  place,  plants  may  be  divi- 
ded into  such  as  are  herbaceous,  shrubby, 
or  trees ;  into  such  as  are  annual,  biennial, 
or  perennial;  and  info  such  as  are  indigen- 
ous or  exotic  . 

6.  Q,.  Is  not  the  knowledge  of  plants  very 
useful  ? 

A.  Without  some  knowledge  of  plants, 
we  should  not  be  able  to  distinguish  between 
such  as  are  noxious  and  such  as  are  good  for 
food,  or  for  the  various  purposes  of  life. 


8 


7.  Q.  How  is  the  knowledge  of  plants 
be  acquired  ? 

A.  By  the  study  of  botany  ;  a  science 
which  formerly  implied  an  acquaintance 
with  the  nature,  uses,  and  cultivation  of 
vegetables  ;  but  which  in  its  modern  accep- 
tation, is  applied,  in  the  first  instance  at 
least,  to  the  classification  of  plants  ;  or  that 
systematic  arrangement  by  which,  from 
general  marks  or  characters,  the  botanist  is 
enabled  to  refer  them  to  their  proper  place 
in  the  system.  Without  this,  all  would  be 
confusion. 

8.  Q,.  Are  not  systems  arbitrary  ? 

A.  In  some  measure  they  are  ;  and  a  va- 
riety of  systems  have  been  invented  and  re- 
jected ;  but  that  of  Linnaeus,  as  the  simplest 
and  most  certain,  and  which  is  fouuded  on 
the  parts  of  fructification,  which  will  here- 
after be  explained,  has  gained,  as  it  de- 
serves general  adoption,  under  the  name  of 
the  sexual  system. 

9.  Q.  Of  how  many  parts  does  a  plant 
consist  ? 


A.  Every  perfect  plant  consists  of  a 
trunk,  leaves,  props,  fructification,  and  in- 
floresence  ;  to  which  may  be  added  the 
habit,  and  the  bybernaculum. 

10.  Q,.  Of  how  many  parts  does  the  root 
consist  ? 

A.    It  consists  of  two  parts,  the  caudex 
and  the  radicle. 

11.  Q,.  What  is  the  caudex? 

A.  The  caudex,  orstuinp,  is  the  body  or 
stock  of  the  root,  from  which  the  trunk  or 
branches  ascend,  and  the  fibrous  parts  de- 
scend ;  and,  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
plant,  is  either  solid,  as  in  trees  ;  bulbous, 
as  in  tulips  ;  or  tuberose,  as  in  piony.  There 
are  also  some  other  distinctions  as  to  roots. 

12.  Q.  What  is  the  radicle? 

A.  The  radicle  or  little  root,  is  the  fibrous 
part  of  the  grand  root,  which,  descending 
from  it,  enables  it  to  draw  nourishment  from 
the  earth,  for  the  support  of  the  plant ;  and 
without  which  it  could  not  live. 

13.  Q,.  What  is  the  trunk  of  plants  ? 


10 


A.  The  trunk  is  that  part  which  rises  im- 
mediately from  the  caudex  or  root,  and  sup- 
ports the  branches,  leaves,  Sowers,  and  fruit. 
It  is  either  herbaceous,  shrubby,  or  arbor- 
escent;  and  according  to  its  shape,  sub- 
stance, surface,  and  other  qualities,  is  called 
a  caulis,  a  culmus,  a  scapus,  or  a  stipes,  all 
of  which  it  is  necessary  to  distinguish. 

14.  Q,.  Please  to  inform  me  then  what  is 
a  caulis. 

A.  A  caulis  or  stem,  is  the  proper  trunk 
of  the  plant,  and  serves  to  elevate  the  leaves 
and  fructification.  It  is  denominated  sim- 
ple, when  it  does  not  divide,  and  compound, 
when  it  parts  into  branches. 

15.  Q,.  What  is  a  culmus  ? 

A.  Culmus,  a  straw,  is  the  proper  stem  or 
trunk  of  grasses,  aud  serves  both  to  elevate 
and  support  the  leaves  and  fructification. 
Like  the  caulis  it  admits  of  various  distinc- 
tions. 

16.  Q,.  What  is  the  scapus  ? 

A.   Scapus,  or  stalk,  is  an  universal  trunk, 


11 


raising  the  fructification,  but  not  the  leaves, 
and  proceeds  immediately  from  the  root* 

17.  Q,.  What  is  a  stipes  ? 

A.  Stipes,  which  means  the  trunk  or 
stock  of  plants  in  general,  is  applied  by  Lin- 
nseus  only  to  palms,  ferns,  and  fungi.  It  is 
also  used  to  express  that  slender  thread  or 
foot-stalk  which  elevates  the  feathery  or 
hairy  down  with  which  some  seeds  are  fur- 
nished. 

18.  Q.  Are   there  not  various  kinds  of 
leaves  ? 

A.  Leaves  are  divided,  generally,  into 
simple  and  compound  ;  but  these  again  re- 
ceive different  denominations,  according  to 
their  figure,  situation,  insertion,  number,  di- 
visions, &c.  for  which  1  must  refer  you  to 
larger  works. 

19.  Q.  What  is  a  simple  leaf  ? 

A.  Simple  leaves  are  such  as  adhere  to 
the  branch  singly,  or  whose  foot-stalks  are 
parted  by  a  single  expansion.  They  have 
different  names  according  to  their  shape, 
surface  and  divisions. 


12 


20.  (£.  What  is  a  compound  leaf  ? 

A.  Compound  leaves  are  when  there  are 
more  than  one  on  the  same  foot-stalk,  anc 
are  considered  in  regard  to  structure  and 
degree.  Leaves  are  the  organs  of  respira- 
tion and  motion. 

21.  Q.  What  are  props  ? 

A.  Props  or  fulcra,  express  those  small 
parts  of  plants,  of  which  the  chief  use  is  to 
strengthen  and  support  them.  They  may 
be  either  a  petiolus,  or  foot-stalk,  support- 
ing a  leaf ;  a  pendunculus,  or  foot-stalk  sup- 
porting a  flower;  a  stipula,  which  is  appli- 
ed to  a  sort  of  scale  or  small  leaf,  stationed 
on  each  side  of  the  base  of  the  foot-stalk  of 
the  petioles  or  peduncles,  when  they  first 
appear,  for  the  purpose  of  support ;  a  cir- 
rhus,  clasper,  or  tendril,  which  denotes  the 
fine  spiral  string  or  fibre,  by  which  plants 
fasten  themselves  to  some  other  body  for 
support ;  pubes,  a  term  used  to  express  the 
hair,  down,  beard,  bristles,  and  glands,  as 
well  as  several  other  substances,  in  different 
parts  of  plants,  serving  either  for  defence, 


13 


or  vessels  of  secretion  ;  and  femdece,  or  flo- 
ral leaves,  which  express  not  only  the  leaves 
situated  on  the  stalk,  nearest  the  lower  parts 
of  the  flower,  but  also  those  which  sometimes 
terminate  the  flower  stalk. 

22.  Q,.  What  is  the  fructification  ? 

A.  As  the  Linnaean  system  is  founded  on 
the  fructification  of  plants,  this  requires  to 
be  particularly  described  in  the  sequel. 
We  shall  therefore,  proceed  to  the  next  con- 
stituent part  of  plants,  namely,inflorescence. 

23.  Q,.  What  is  meant  by  inflorescence  ? 
A.  It  h  the  manner  in  which  flowers  are 

joined  to  their  several  peduncles  ;  and  ad- 
mits of  several  varieties,  all  distinguished  by 
appropriate  names.  Flowers  may  be  com- 
plete, simple  or  aggregate. 

24.  Q,.  What  is  a  complete  flower  ? 

A.  A  flower  is  said  to  be  complete,  when 
all  parts  are  present  ;  it  is  either  simple  or 
aggregate. 

25.  Q.  What  is  a  simple  flower  ? 

2 


14 


A.  It  is  so  called  when  no  part  of  (he 
fructification  is  common  to  more  than  one 
flower  or  floret. 

26.  Q,.     What  is  an  aggregate  flower  ? 
A.  An  aggregate  flower  consists  of  man) 

florets,  collected  into  one  head,  by  means  of 
some  parts  of  the  fructification,  common  to 
them  all.  Of  infloresence  in  general  arise 
several  distinctions,  according  to  the  struc- 
ture, disposition  and  other  circumstances  of 
the  parts. 

27.  Q,.  Will  you  name  those  distinctions  ? 
A.  The  principal  are  the  following,  and 

they  often   serve    to   discriminate  species 

which  makes  them  the  more  necessary  to  be 

known. 

1.  Verticellate. — When  the  flowers  are  pla- 
ced in  whorls,  at  each  joint  round  the 
common  stalk. 

2  Capitulate. — When  many  flowers  are 
collected  into  nearly  a  globular  form  or 
head,  upon  the  summit  of  the  common 
stalks,  sometimes  with,  and  sometimes 
without  partial  peduncles. 


15 


3.  Spicate. — When  the  flowers,  having   no 
partial  peduncles,  are  arranged  in  spikes, 
alternately,  round   a  common  simple  pe- 
duncle. 

4.  Corymbate. — When    the  lesser  pedun- 
cles of  the  flowers  produced  from  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  common  peduncle  or  stalk 
in   clusters,    which,    though    of  unequal 
lengths,  and   single  or  branched,  form  a 
regular  surface  at  the  top. 

5.  Thyrsate. — This   expresses  a  mode  of 
flowering,  resembling  that  of  pines. 

6.  Paniculate. — When   the  flowers  are  dis- 
persed among  peduncles,  variously  subdi- 
vided, as  is  common  in  grasses. 

7.  Axillarate. — When  the  flowers  proceed 
from  the  angle  formed  by  the  leaf  and  the 
stem,  as  is  most  commonly  the  case. 

8.  Terminalate. — When  the  flowers  termin- 
ate the  stalk  or  branch. 

28.  Q.  What  is  meant  by  the  habit  of 
plants  ? 

A.  By  the  habit  of  plants,  the  old  botan- 
ists expressed  the  whole  external  appearance 


of  every  part  by  which  they  formed  their 
systematic  arrangement ;  but  Linnaeus  ap- 
plies this  to  the  agreement  of  plants  of  the 
same  genus  or  natural  order,  in  particular 
circumstances. 

29.  Q.    What  is  the    hybernaculum  of 
plants  ? 

A.  The  hybernaculum,  or  winter  lodg- 
ment, is  that  part  of  a  plant  which  defends 
the  embryo,  or  future  shoot  from  external 
injuries  during  the  winter,  and  is  either  a 
bulb  or  a  bud. 

30.  Q,.  How  do  you  describe  a  bulb  ? 
A.  A  bulb  is  a  large  sort  of  bud,  if  it  may 

be  so  called,  produced  under  ground,  and 
placed  on  the  caudex  of  certain  herbaceous 
plants,  hence  termed  bulbous,  all  of  which 
are  perennial,  or  perpetuated  by  their  bulbs, 
as  well  as  by  seed. 

31.  Q.  How  do  you  describe  a  bud  ? 

A.  A  bud  may  be  denominated  the  em- 
bryo of  the  plant,  and  is  seated  on  the  stem 
of  the  branches,  and  covered  with  scales. 
Of  buds  in  general,  there  are  three  kinds ; 


17 


that  containing  the  flower  only,  as  in  poplar5 
ash,  &c.  that  containing  the  leaves  only,  as 
in  birch,  &c.  and  that  containing  both  flower 
and  leaves,  as  is  usual  in  the  generality  of 
plants.  It  is  observable,  however,  that  in 
hot  climates  few  plants  have  buds  ;  because 
the  plant  is  exposed  to  no  danger  from  the 
coldest  weather. 

32.  Q.  What  is  meant  by  the  sleep  of 
plants  ? 

A.  It  bears  some  resemblance  to  the  pro- 
tection afforded  by  the  buds,  and  may  hap- 
pen various  ways.  The  most  common  mode 
however,  is  that  the  young  shoots,  as  well 
as  the  flowers,  are  defended  from  external 
injury,  by  the  nearest  leaves  converging, 
and  enclosing  the  tender  parts.  This  hap- 
pens in  several  plants  at  the  approach  of 
night,  and  even  of  rain. 


18 


CHAP.  II. 

The  parts  of  fructification. 

1.  Q,.  I  think  you  said  that  the  system  of 
Linnaeus  is  founded  on  the  parts  of  fructifi- 
cation ? 

A.  I  did  ;  and  as  they  are  the  same  in 
all  parts  of  the  globe,  where  vegetables  grow, 
the  classification  founded  on  them  affords  a 
kind  of  universal  language  to  botanists, 
by  which  they  may  be  mutually  understood. 

2.  Q,.  What  is  meant  by  fructification  ? 
A.  By  fructification  we  understand  both 

the  flower  and  fruit  of  plants,  which,  though 
not  present  at  the  same  time,  cannot  be  well 
separated. 

3.  Q,.    How    many  parts  of  fructification 
are  there  ? 

A.  Seven; — 1.  The  calyx,  empalement, 
or  flower-cup.  2.  The  corolla,  foliation, 
or  the  leaves  of  the  flower.  3.  The  stami- 
na, or  male  organs  of  plants,  consisting  of 
threads  called  stamens  or  chives.  4.  The 


19 

pistillum,  or  female  organ  of  plants,  called 
the  pistil  or  pointal.  5.  The  pericarpium, 
or  seed  vessel.  6.  Semina,  or  seeds  them- 
selves, produced  when  the  fructification  dies 
away.  7.  The  receptaculnm,  or  base  on 
which  the  fructification  is  seated.  The 
first  four  are  properly  parts  of  the  flower  ; 
the  three  last  parts  of  the  fruit. 

4.  Q.  Will  you  describe  the  calyx  ? 

A.  The  calyx  is  the  termination  of  the 
euter  bark  of  a  plant ;  and  its  chief  use  con- 
sists in  enclosing,  supporting,  and  protect- 
ing the  other  parts  of  the  fructification.  It 
is  called  a  perianthium,  or  flower-cup,  when 
its  station  is  close  to  the  fructification  ;  an 
invohtcrum  or  cover,  when  stationed  at  the 
foot  of  an  umbel,  at  a  distance  from  the  flow- 
er ;  an  amentum  or  catkin,  when  it  proceeds 
from  one  common  receptacle,  like  the  chaff 
of  an  ear  of  corn  ;a  spatha,  or  sheathe,  when 
it  bursts  lengthwise,  and  puts  forth  a  flower- 
stalk  ;  agZwmo,  or  husk,  as  in  grasses,  which 
it  folds  over  with  its  valves  ;  a  catyplra,  or 
veil,  as  in  mosses,  where  it  is  placed  over 


the  other  parts  of  fructification  ;  and  a  volva 
or  enfolder,  as  in  the  mushroom  tribe,  where 
it  is  membranaceous  and  rent  on  all  sides* 

5.  Q.  What  is  the  corolla  ? 

A.  The  corolla  is  the  termination  of  the 
inner  bark  of  a  plant,  accompanying  the 
fructification,  in  the  new  form  of  painted  or 
coloured  leaves,  usually  called  the  blossom, 
or  flower.  It  is  generally  seated  on  the  re- 
ceptacle, though  sometimes  on  the  calyx, 
and  serves  as  an  interior  fence  to  the  parts 
which  it  encloses.  Its  leaves  are  called  pet- 
als ;  and  if  the  corolla  consists  only  of  one 
piece,  it  is  called  monopetalous  ;  if  of  two, 
dipetalous  ;  if  of  three,  tripetalous  ;  and  so 
on,  according  to  the  number  of  petals  ;  or 
polypetalous,  when  they  are  numerous* 
The  corolla  is  also  distinguished  by  the  di- 
vision and  shape  of  the  leaves,  by  being  in- 
ferior or  superior  to  the  gerrnen  ;  and  by  its 
duration.  To  it  farther  belongs  the  necta- 
rium,  or  nectary,  containing  the  honey  on 
which  bees  and  other  insects  feed.  This 
Appendage  has  various  forms,  which  fre- 


21 

quently  furnish  essential  characters  of  plants 
in  the  Linnsean  arrangement. 

6.  Q,.  What  are  the  stamina? 

A.  The  stamens,  formerly  called  chives, 
are  the  male  part  of  the  flower,  and  are  de- 
fined by  Linnaeus  as  an  entrail  of  the  plant, 
designed  for  the  preparation  of  the  fructify- 
ing dust  or  pollen.  In  most  flowers,  the 
stamens  are  placed  on  the  receptacle  within 
the  corolla,  and  round  the  germen.  They 
are  chiefly  distinguished  by  their  number  ; 
each  consists  of  two  parts,  the  filament  and 
theantbera. 

7.  Q,.  What  is  the  filament  ? 

A.  The  filament  is  the  thread-shaped 
part  of  ilae  stamen,  that  serves  as  a  foot-sfalk 
to  elevate  the  anthers  ;  and  sometimes  has 
jags  or  divisions,  which  are  either  two  or 
nine. 

8.  Q,  What  are  the  anthera  ? 

A.  The  anther,  from  a  Greek  word,  sig- 
nifying flower,  is  emphatically  so  called  from 
its  great  utility  in  the  fructificafion,  and  is 
the  summit  or  top  of  the  filament,  containing 


the  impregnating  meal  or   dust,   called 
pollen.     Tn.ttjumber  of  anthers  to  each  fila 
ment,  varies  in  different  plants.    Like    the 
filament,  they  are  also  distinguished  by  their 
form,  or  figure,  their  proportion,  and  their 
situation. 

9.  Q.  What  is  the  pistillum  ? 

A.  The  pistil,  or  the  female  part  of  the 
flower,  proceeding  from  the  pith  of  (he  plant, 
is  that  erect  column,  which  is  usually  placed 
in  the  centre  of  the  flower,  amidst  the  sta- 
mens, in  order  to  receive  the  pollen  ;  and 
consists  of  three  parts,  the  germen,  the  style 
and  the  stigma. 

10.  Q.  What  is  the  germen  ? 

A.  The  germea  is  the  base  of  the  pistil, 
and  supports  the  style.  After  some  time  it 
becomes  a  seed-vessel,  and  may  therefore, 
be  considered  as  the  rudiment  of  the  fruit 
accompanying  the  flower,  but  not  yet  arriv- 
ed at  maturity.  It  is  distinguished  by 
shape,  number,  and  situation. 

11.  Q.*  What  is  the  style  ? 

A,  The  style  is  that  part  which  serves  to 


23 

elevate  the  stigma  from  the  germen,  in  or- 
3er  to  receive  the  influence  of  the  stamens, 
ind  to  convey  it  to  the  germen  as  through  a 
ube.  It  is  distinguished  in  various  ways, 
ind  is  often  placed  on  the  side  of  the  ger- 
nen. 

12.  Q,.  What  is  the  stigma  ? 

A.  The  stigma,  when  single,  is  generally 
placed  on  the  summit  of  the  style  ;  but, 

en  several,  they  are  placed  upon  the  top, 
>r  regularly  disposed  along  the  side,  and 
:overed  with  moisture,  that  they  may  the 
setter  retain  the  pollen.  It  is  variously  dis- 
inguished  ;  and  in  most  plants,  withers  when 
he  germen  becomes  a  seed-vessel. 

13.  Q,.  Have  all  plants  anthers  and  pis- 
ils? 

A.  No  ;  but  such  plants  as  want  anthers 
re  called  female  ;  such  as  want  pistils  are 
ailed  male;  such  as  have  them  both,  her- 
laphrodite  ;  and  such  as  have  neither,  new- 
er. 

14.  Q.  What  is  the  pericarpium  ? 


24 


A.  The  pericarpiurn,  or  seed-vessel,  is 
the  gernien,  brought  to  maturity,  and  be 
corne  a  matrix.  It  is  situated  at  the  recep 
tacle  of  the  flower.  All  plants,  however, 
are  not  furnished  with  a  seed-vessel ;  and  ic 
many,  it  is  supplied  by  the  calyx,  which 
converging,  encloses  the  seeds  till  they  arrive 
at  maturity  ;  and  sometimes  the  receptacle^ 
and  sometimes  the  nectary  performs  the 
office  of  seed-vessel. 

15.  Q,.  Is  not  the  pericarpium  distin- 
guished by  different  names  according  to  its 
structure? 

A.  It  is  a  capsule  when  hollow,  and  cleav- 
ing or  parting  in  some  determinate  manner  ; 
it  is  a  silique,  or  pod,  when  consisting  of  two 
valves,  wherein  the  seeds  are  fastened  along 
both  the  sutures  ;  it  is  a  legume,  when  it  has 
two  valves,  with  the  seeds  fastened  along 
one  suture  only  ;  it  is  a  conceptade,  when  it 
consists  of  a  single  valve,  opening  on  one 
side  lengthwise,  without  having  the  seeds 
fastened  to  it  ;  it  is  a  drupa,  when  fleshy  or 
pulpy,  without  valves,  containing  a  stone  ;  it 


25 


is  a  pomum>  when  fleshy  or  pulpy,  without 
valve,  containing  a  capsule ;  it  is  a  feacca,  or 
berry,  when  fleshy  or  pulpy,  without  valve, 
the  seeds  within  having  no  other  covering  ; 
and  it  is  a  slrobilus,  when  formed  of  a  catkin. 

16.  Q,.  What  are  s  em  in  a  ? 

A.  Semina,  or  seeds,  are  the  essence  of 
the  fruit  of  every  vegetable,  and  defined  by 
the  great  Swedish  botanist  as  a  deciduous 
part  of  the  plant,  containing  the  rudiments  of 
anew  vegetable,  fertilized  by  the  ^sprinkling 
of  the  pollen.  They  are  distinguished  ac- 
cording to  number,  shape,  texture,  and  vari- 
ous concomitant  circumstances.  Every 
seed  properly  so  called,  which  is  the  rudi- 
ment of  a  future  vegetable,  consists  of  the 
corculum,  or  essence  of  the  seed,  and  the 
principle  of  the  future  plant ;  the  cotyledons 
or  the  side  lobes  of  the  seed,  of  a  porous  sub- 
stance, and  perishable  ;  the  hilum,  or  exter- 
nal mark  or  scar  on  the  seed,  where  it  was 
fastened  within  the  fruit,  as  in  beans,  &c. 
the  arillus,  or  the  proper  exterior  coat  of 


26 


' ;  and 


the  seed  which  falls  off  spontaneously  ; 
the  coronula  or  little  crown  of  the  seed, 
which  is  either  a  sort  of  calyx,  adhering  to 
the  top  of  the  seed  like  a  little  crown,  or 
pappus,  a  down  which  is  either  feathery,  or 
hairy,  and  assists  the  seed  to  fly,  as  in  this- 
tles. To  these  distinctions  may  be  added 
nuxj  a  nut,  or  seed  enclosed  in  a  hard  woody 
substance  called  a  shell ;  and  propago,  a 
slip  or  shoot,  without  coat  or  cotyledon,  as 
in  the  seeds  of  moss. 

17.  Q;.  What  is  the  receptaculum  ? 

A.  The  receptacle  is  the  base  which  con- 
nects and  supports  the  other  six  parts  of 
fructification  ;  and  hence,  it  has  been  some- 
times called  the  nuptial  bed  of  flowers  ;  but 
this  term  more  properly  belongs  to  the  ca- 
Syx. 

18.  Q,  Has   not   the  receptacle  received 
various  names  which  are  necessary  to  be 
known  ? 

A.  Several  of  the  distinctions  are  of  im- 
portance. A  proper  receptacle  is  when  it 
Supports  the  parts  of  a  single  fructification 


27 


only  ;  a  receptacle  of  the  flower,  when  it  is 
a  base  to  which  the  parts  of  the  flower  only 
are  fastened,  without  the  germen  ;  a  recep- 
tacle of  the  fruit,  when  it  is  the  base  of  the 
fruit  only,  remote  from  the  receptacle  of  the 
flower;  and  a  receptacle  of  the  seeds,  when 
it  is  the  base  that  fastens  the  seeds,  within 
the  pericarpiuni.  It  is  also  an  umbel,  or  re 
ceptacle  which,  from  a  common  centre,  runs 
out  into  thread-shaped  foot-stalks  of  propor- 
tional lengths  ;  a  ci/mrt,  or  cyme,  when  the 
receptacle  runs  into  long  fastigate  peduncles, 
proceeding  from  the  same  universal  centre, 
but  with  irregular  particulars  ;  and  a  spadix, 
which  is  applied  to  cuckoo-pint,  palms,  &c 


28 
CHAP.  III. 

The  Linnaan  distribution  of  Vegetable 
founded  on  the  Sexual  System. 

1.  Q,.  How  has  Linnseus  divided  the  veg- 
etable kingdom  ? 

A.  Into  classes,  orders,  genera,  species, 
and  varieties. 

2.  Q.  How  many  classes  are  there  ? 
A.  Twenty-four. 

3.  Q.  How  are  the  names  of  the  classes 
formed  ? 

A.  The  names  of  the  classes  are  derived 
from  the  Greek,  and  express  the  charac- 
teristics of  each  class.  The  first  twelve  are 
named  from  the  Greek  numerals,  and  the 
word  andn"a,referring  to  the  nmmber  of  their 
stamens.  The  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  clas- 
ses are  founded  on  the  proportion  of  the  sta- 
mens, and  the  next  five  on  the  connection  of 
the  stamens.  From  the  twentieth  to  the 
twenty-third  inclusive,  the  classes  are  forrn^ 
ed  from  the  situation  of  the  stamens.  The 


29 


twenty-fourth  consists  of  plants  whose  parts 
of  fructification  are  less  conspicuous,  and 
less  accurately  known,  and  hence  are  called 
cryptogamus  ;  while  the  first  twenty -three 
are  styled  phenogamus,  for  the  contrary 
reason. 

4.  Q.  From  what  are  the  orders  formed  ? 

A.  In  the  first  thirteen  classes  they  are 
taken  from  the  number  of  the  female  parts, 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  classes  are  from 
the  male  parts.  In  the  fourteenth  class,  the 
orders  are  derived  from  a  different  source, 
and  are  divided  into  gymnospermia,  com- 
prehending such  as  have  naked  seeds  ;  and 
angiospermia,  including  those  that  have 
their  seeds  covered,  or  enclosed  in  a  capsule. 
The  fifteenth  class  is  divided  into  the  sili- 
culosa,  or  such  as  have  a  short  pod ;  and 
the  siliquosa,  or  those  that  have  a  longer 
one.  The  sixteenth,  seventeenth,  eigh- 
teenth and  twentieth,  derive  their  orders 
from  the  number  of  stamens.  The  orders 
of  the  nineteenth  are  variously  formed. 
Those  of  the  twenty-first  are  taken,  partly 


30 


from  the  number  of  stamens,  and  partly  from 
the  names  and  characters  peculiar  to  some 
of  the  other  classes.  The  orders  of  the 
twenty-second  class  are  founded  on  the  num- 
ber, union  and  situation  of  the  stamens  in 
the  male  flowers.  Those  of  the  twenty-third 
are  all  taken  from  classical  characters  ;  and 
the  twenty-fourth  class  is  divided  into  four 
orders,  corresponding  with  the  plants  rang- 
ed under  them. 

5.  (J.  This  is  a  good  explanation,  please 
now  to  give  me  the  names  of  the  classes,  and 
the  orders  belonging  to  each. 

A.  They  will  stand  thus  ; 

CLASSES.  ORDERS. 

With  examples  under  each. 

l.Monogynia-      2.  Digy- 


1.   MONANDRIA. 

Ginger,  Indian  arrow-root. 

2.  DIANDRIA. 
Jessamine,    privet,    olive, 
lilac. 


nia. 


1.  Manogynia.      2.  Digy- 
nia.  3.  Trigynia 


S.TRIANDRIA.          { 
Valerian,    iris,    and    the  <  1.  Monogynia.  2,  Digynia, 
grasses.  (     3.  Trigynia. 

c 

r,<  i.  Mono] 
C     3.  Trig 


4.  TETRANDRIA. 

Scabious,   teazel,  madder,-^  i.  Monogynia.  2. Digynia. 
holly.  C     &•  Trigynia. 


31 

CLASSES.  ORDERS, 

With  examples  under  each. 

5.  PENTANDRIA.      -  f 
Bell-flower,       bind-^ed,  j 

mullen,  periwinkle,  cof-  I  1.  Monogynia.  2.  Digynia. 
fee,     the    rough-leaved  i      3.  Trigynia.  4.  Teiragy- 
plants,  as  potatoes,  and  I      nia.    5.  Pentagynia.    6, 
umbelliferous  plants,  as  |      Polygynia. 
carravvays.  {. 

6.  HEXANDRIA.          il.  Monogynia.     2.   Digy- 
Snow-drop,  nnrcissus,tulip,  J     nia.     3»    Trigynia.    4. 

aloe,  hyacynth.  ^     Tetragynia.   5.  Polygy- 

f     nia. 

7.  HEPTANDRIA.          C  1.  Monogynia.  2.  Digynia. 
Horse-chestnut,      wmter-  <     S.  Tetragynia.    4.  Hex- 

green.  f     agynia. 

8.  OCTANDRI  A.  ^  1,  Monogynia  2.  Digynia. 
Indian  cress,  heath,French  <     3.  Trigynia.  4.  Tetragy- 

willow.  (     nia. 

9.  ENNEA.NDRIA.       ^  1,  Monogynia.  2.  Trigynia 
Bay,  rhubarb,  gladiole.       \      3.  Hexagynia. 

10.  DECANDRIA.         £  1,  Monogynia.  2.  Digynia. 
Fraxinella,    rue,    lychnis,^     3.  Trigynia.  4.  Pentagy- 

cassia,  arbutis.  1     nia.  5.  Decagynia. 


11.  DODECANDRIA.         (1.  Monogynia. 
Purslane,  house-leek,  agri-  ,<^    3.  Trigynia.  4.  Pentagy- 
niony,  spurge.  f     nia.  5.  Dodecagynia. 

12.  Icos  ANDRI  A.         C  1.  Monogynia.  2.  Digynia 
Peach,  medlar,  apple,ro$e,  <     3-  Trigynia.  4.  Pentagy- 

almonds.  f     nia.  5.  Polygynia. 

f  1.  Monogynia.  2.  Digynia. 

13.  POLYANDHIA.      \     3.  Trigynia.  4.  Tetragy- 
Poppy,    larkspur,    colum-<      nia.     5.  Pentagynia.  6. 

bine,  piony,  tea,  water-  J     Hexagynia,  7.  Polygy- 
lily.  V.     nia. 


32 

CLASSES.  ORDERS. 

With  Examples  under  eaeli. 
14.  DYDYNAMIA.          ( 

Hyssop,  ground  ivy,  balm,  1 1.  Gymnospermia. 
fox-glove,  eye  bright,      j      giospermia. 


15.  TETR ADYNAMIA.     | 
Scurvy-grass,    candy  tuft, 
water  Cress,stock,  woad,  * 
cabbage,  turnips. 


16.    MONl-PELPHIA. 

Geranium,  mallow,  cotton,  - 
althea  frutex. 

17.   DlADELPHIA. 

Fumitory,  milk-wort,peas, 
beans,  vetches, 

18.    PotYADELPHIA.        <  1. 

Orange,  chocolate  nut,  St.  ( 
John's  wort.  f"l, 

19.  SYNGENESIA. 
Violet,    balsam,     cardinal  | 

flower,  compound  flow-*) 
ers  in  general,  as  this-  | 
ties,  succory,  dandelion, 
tansy. 

20.  GYNANDKIA. 
Orchis,  lady's   slipper,  ar- 
um, vanilla,  birth  wort, 
passion  flower. 

21.  MONOECIA. 
Oak,  mulberry,  nettle,  cy- 
prus,      fir,      cucumber, 
box,  birch,   beech,  and 
various  other  trees. 


.  Siliculosa.  2.  Siliquo- 
sa. 

.  Triandria.  2.  Pentan- 
dria. 3.Octandria.  4.  En- 
neandria.  5.  Decandria. 
6.  Endecandria.  7.Dode- 
candria.  8.  Polyandria. 

.  Pentandria.  2.  Hexan- 
dria. 3.  Octandria.  I.. 
Decandria. 

.  Pentandria.    2.  Icosaiv 
dria,  S.  Polyandria. 
Polygamia  aequalis. 

2.  Polygamia  superflua. 

3.  Polygamia  frustranea. 

4.  Polygamia  necessaria. 

5.  Polygamia  segregata. 

6.  Monogamia. 
Diandria.  2.  Triandria. 
3.  Tetrandria.    4.  Pen- 
tandria.   5.  Hexandria. 
6.  Decandria.   7.  Dode- 
candria.    8.  Polyandria. 

,  Monandria.  2.  Dian- 
dria. 3.  Triandria.  4. 
Tetrandria.  5.  Pentan- 
dria. 6.  Hexandria.  7. 
Heptandria.  8.  Poly- 
andria.  9.  Monadel- 
phia.  10.  Syngenesia. 
11.  Gynandria. 


33 

CLASSES.  ORDERS. 

With  examples  under  each. 

f  1.  Monandria.  S.Diandria. 
3-Triandria.  4.  Tetran- 
dria.  5.  Pentandria.  6. 


22.  DIOECIA. 
Willow,  hop,  spinach,  pop- 
lar,    mercury,    juniper, 
butcher's  broom,  papaw, 
yew. 


Hexandria.  T.Octandria 
8.  Enneandria.  9.  De- 
candria.  10.  Dodecan- 
dria.  11.  Polyandria.12. 
Monadelphia.  13.  Syn- 
genesia.  14.  Gynandria. 


23.  POLYGAMIA.         Cl.  Monoecia.  2.  Dioecia. 
Fig,  pelitory,  orach.  £     3.  Tryoecia, 

24.  CRYPTOGAMIA.        C 

Ferns,  mosses,  mushrooms,  <  1.  Filices.  2.  Musci.  3.  Al- 
(     gs.    4.  Fung. 


APPENDIX — Palmae,  which  are  not  reducible  to  either. 

6.  Q.    Is  this   distribution  of  plants   into 
twenty-four  classes  universally  followed  ? 

A.  Some  of  the  disciples  of  Linnasus,  a- 
mong  whom  is  Thunberg,  his  successor  at 
Upsal,  Jacquin  in  Germany,  and  Sibthorp 
and  Whithering  in  England,,  with  many  liv- 
ing botanists  in  different  countries,  have  re- 
duced the  classes  to  twenty,  by  distributing 
gynandria,  monoecia,  dioecia,  and  potyga* 
mia,  among  the  rest. 

7.  Q.  Is  this  a  beneficial  improvement  ? 


A.  If  universally  followed,  it  would  un- 
doubtedly, simplify  the  study  of  botany 
but  while  some  adhere  to  the  original  classi- 
fication, and  some  to  the  reformed,  much 
confusion  is  introduced  among  the  lovers  of 
the  science.  It  is  probable,  however,  that 
the  reformed  system  will  ultimately  prevail. 

8.  Q.  In  what  does  the  essence  of  a  plant 
consist? 

A.  According  to  Linnaeus,  the  essence  of 
a  plant  consists  in  the  fructification  ;  the  es- 
sence of  the  fructification  in  (he  flower  and 
fruit ;  the  essence  of  the  flower  in  the  an- 
thers and  stigma  ;  and  the  essence  of  the 
fruit  in  the  seed.  '  Hence,  he  considers 
the  fruit  and  the  flower  as  the  foundation  of 
his  generic  distinctions. 

9.  Q,,  What  is  a  genus. 

A.  A  genus  is  an  assemblage  of  several 
species  of  plants,  resembling  each  other  in 
their  most  essential  parts.  Hence,  it  may 
be  aptly  compared  to  a  family,  all  of  whom 
bear  the  same  surname,  though  every  indi- 
vidual is  distinguished  by  a  particular  spe- 
cific name. 


35 


10.  Q,.  What  constitutes  the  genus  ? 

A-  The  presence  or  absence,  the  number, 
figure,  proportion  and  situation  of  the  seve- 
ral parts.  But  as  there  are  few  genera  in 
which  all  the  parts  of  natural  character  are 
constant  in  every  species,  Linnaeus  found  it 
necessary  to  fix  on  such  circumstances  as 
are  constant  in  both  genus  and  species  ;  and 
for  this  reason  had  recourse  to  the  nec- 
tary and  other  permanent  marks  of  distinc- 
tions. 

11.  Q,.  What  constitutes  a  species  ? 

A.  As  generic  differences  depend  on  the 
form  of  the  fructification,  and  are  confined 
to  that  alone,  so  specific  differences  take 
their  rise  from  any  circumstance,  wherein 
plants  of  the  same  genus  are  foujid  to  disa- 
gree, provided  such  circumstance  is  con- 
stant, and  not  liable  to  alteration  by  culture 
or  other  accidents.  Hence,  Linnaeus  as- 
serts, that  the  species  are  as  many  as  there 
were  different  forms  of  vegetables  produced 
at  the  creation.  The  root,  the  trunk,  the 
branches,  the  leaves,  the  props,  may  all 


36 


furnish  specific  differences,  though    all 
them  agree  in  the  essential  generic  charac 
ter. 

12.  Q,.     Is   it  necessary   to  distinguisl: 
those  differences  J 

A.  Without  distinguishing  them  particu- 
larly, and  being  acquainted  with  the  names 
by  which  they  are  expressed,  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  make  any  solid  progress  in  botanical 
knowledge. 

13.  Q,.  What  are  varieties  ? 

A.  All  casual  differences  are  to  be  con- 
sidered as  varieties  of  the  same  species. 
These  varieties  are  grounded  chiefly  on 
sex,  magnitude,  time  of  flowering,  colour, 
scent,  taste,  virtues,  and  uses,  duration,  mul- 
titude, pubescence,  leaves,  and  monstrous 
flowers. 

14.  Q.  What  is  meant  by  monstrous  flow- 
ers ? 

A.  Monstrous,  or  luxuriant  flowers,  are 
those  in  which  the  essential  parts  of  fructi- 
fication are  destroyed  or  effaced  ;  and  there- 
fore^ however  much  they  may  delight  flor- 


37 


sts,  are  disregarded  by  botanists.  Flowers 
f  this  description  may  be  multiplicateyfull, 
r  proliferous. 

15.  Q.  What  is  meant  by  a  multiplicate 
lower  ? 

A.  Flowers  are  said  to  be  multiplicate 
vhen,  by  the  increase  of  the  corolla,  onrly 
i  part  of  the  stamens  are  excluded.  Poly- 
)etalous,  or  many  leaved  flowers,  are  the 
nost  subject  to  multiplication. 

16.  Q,.  What  is  meant  by  a  full  flower  ? 
A.  A  full  flower  is,  when  the  corolla  is  so 

ar  multiplied  as  to  exclude  all  the  stamens. 
The  fullness  arises  from  the  stamens  running 
nto  petals,  with  which  the  flower  is  so 
rowded  as  frequently  to  choak  up  the  pis- 
ilium  also.  The  parts  essential  to  genera 
ion,  being  thus  destroyed,  it  is  evident 
bey  must  be  barren  ;  and  this  is  known  by 
ny  person  who  cultivates  a  flower  garden, 
o  be  the  case  with  full,  or,  as  they  are  usu- 
lly  called,  double  flowers. 

17.  Q.  What  is  meant  by  a  proliferous 
lower  7 

4 


38 


A.  Flowers  are  said  to  be  proliferous 
when  one  flower  grows  out  of  another,  either 
from  the  centre  or  from  the  side.  Instances 
of  the  former  we  see  in  pinks,  anemones,  and 
roses  ;  of  the  latter,  in  scabious,  and  partic- 
ularly in  daisies.  The  hen-and-chicken 
daisy,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  is  a  prolife- 
rous flower. 


39 

CHAP.   IV. 

Natural  Orders. 

1.  Q,.  Is  there  not  a  natural  method  of 
arranging  vegetables  which  deserves  to  be 
noticed  ? 

A.  Notwithstanding  the  vast  superiority 
of  the  sexual  system,  and  its  general  adap- 
tion to  botanical  pursuits,  various  botanists, 
and  among  the  rest,  Linnaeus  himself,  have 
paid  great  attention  to  NATURE'S  SYSTEM 
of  arrangernen  t,  a  knowledge  of  which  has 
some  peculiar  advantages.  On  this  princi- 
ple Linnaeus  divides  the  vegetable  kingdom 
into  fifty  nine  natural  classes,  or  orders. 

2.  Q,.  Will  you   have    the   goodness  to 
give  me  their  names  and  examples  ? 

A.  Most  readily  ;  but  we  must  go  through 
them  in  succession. 

3.  Q,.  Which  then  is  the  first  of  the  natu- 
ral orders  ? 

A.  Pa/mce,  palms,  and  some  genera  that 


agree  with  them  ;  as  the  cocoa  nut,  the  date 
iree,  &c. 

4.  Q.  Which  is  the  second  ? 

A.  Piperitce,  or  pepper-bearing  plants, 
and  some  others  that  resemble  them;  as 
arum,  or  cuckow-pint. 

5.  Q.  Which  is  the  third  ? 

A.  CalamariiZ)  or  reed  like  plants.  In 
these  the  leaf  is  entire  at  the  base,  and  they 
have  no  joints  nor  petals  ;  as  rush-grass,  &c, 

6.  Q.  Which  is  the  fourth  ? 

A.  Gramina,  grasses  ;  as  rye-grass, 
wheat,  &c. 

7.  Q.  Which  is  the  fifth  ? 

A.  TripetaloidecR,  plants  with  three  pet- 
als ;  as  calamus,  rush,  £c. 

8.  Q.  Which  is  the  sixth? 

A.  Ensatce,  plants  with  sword-shaped 
leaves  ;  as  iris,  or  fleur-de-luce,  corn-flag, 
&c. 

9.  Q,  Which  is  1he  seventh  ? 

A.  Orchidece,  orchises  and  such  as  re- 
semble them  in  habits,  powers,  and  sensible 


41 


qualities  ;  as  the  orchis,  ophrys,  satyrium  or 
lizard  flower,  &c. 

10.  (J.  Which  is  the  eighth  ? 

A.  ScitaminecB,  aromatic  plants,  and 
some  others  which  agree  in  habit,  and  afford 
agreeable  fruit;  as  plaintain-tree,  ginger, &c. 

11.  Q,.  Which  is  the  ninth  ? 

A.  Spathacece,  plants  whose  flowers  are 
contained  within  a  spatha,  or  sheath;  as 
narcissus,  snow-drop,  daffodil,  &c. 

12.  Q.  Which  is  the  tenth? 

A.  Coronariw,  plants  of  the  garland  or 
lily  tribe  ;  as  tulip,  lily,  frittillary,  hyacinth, 
&c. 

13.  Q,.  Which  is  the  eleventh  ? 

A.  Sarmentoscz,  plants  with  climbing 
stems  and  branches  ;  as  black  briony,  rough 
bind-weed,  &c. 

14.  Q.  Which  is  the  twelfth  ? 

A.  HolorasceW)  pot-herbs,  or  plants  for 
the  table,  and  other  domestic  uses  ;  as  spin- 
ach, beet,  orach,  &c. 

15.  Q,.  Which  is  the  thirteenth  I 


42 


A.     Succulentce,    succulent    and    flesh 
plants,   as  house-leek,    stone-crop,    cactus, 
&c. 

16.  Q.  Which  is  the  fourteenth  ? 

A.  Gruinales,  plants  supposed  to  resem- 
ble the  crane,  and  like  the  geranium  in  hab- 
it ;  as  flax,  sun-dew,  wood-sorrel,  geranium, 
&c. 

17.  Q.  Which  is  the  fifteenth  ? 

A.  Inundates,  plants  which  grow  in  the 
water  ;  as  mare's  tail,  pond-weed,  &c. 

18.  Q,.  Which  is  the  sixteenth  ?. 

A.  Calyciflorce,  plants  with  the  stamens 
inserted  into  the  calyx,  and  having  no  corol- 
la, with  a  pulpy  fruit;  as  wild  olive,  sea 
buckthorn,  &e. 

19.  Q.  Which  is  the  seventeenth  ? 

A.  Calycanthemm,  plants  with  the  corolla 
and  stamens  inserted  into  the  calyx  ;  as  wil- 
low-herb, evening  primrose,  &c. 

20.  Q,.  Which  is  the  eighteenth  ? 

A.  Bicornes,  plants  with  horned  anthers  ; 
as  heath,  strawberry-tree,  whortleberry,  &c. 

21.  Q.  Which  is  the  nineteenth  ? 


43 

A.  Hesperidece,  plants  resembling  the 
myrtle  inhabit;  as  guayava,  clove-tree,  &c. 

22.  Q.  Which  is  the  twentieth  ? 

A.  Rojacea,  plants  with  a  flat  wheel-sha- 
ped  petal ;  as  pimpernel,  gentian,  &c. 

23.  Q,.  Which  is  the  twenty-first  ? 

A.  Precis,  early  flowering  plants  ;  as  the 
primrose,  and  others  that  agree  in  habit ; 
such  as  the  cow-slip,  sow-bread,  water-violet, 
&c. 

24.  Q.  Which  is  the  twenty -second  ? 

A.  Paryophyllew,  plants  of  the  pink,  or 
carnation  tribe,  and  such  as  are  allied  to 
them  ;  as  lychnis,  sprattiing  poppy,  soap- 
wort,  &c. 

25.  <J.  Which  is  the  twenty-third  ? 

A.  Trihilatce,  plants  with  three  seeds, 
each  marked  with  a  scar  ;  as  bead-tree, 
maple,  horse-chestnut,  Indian-cress,  £c. 

26.  Q.  Which  is  the  twenty -fourth  ? 

A.  Corydales,  plants  with  hooded  or  hel- 
met-shaped flowers  ;  as  butter-wort,  water 
milfoil,  &c. 

27.  Q.  Which  is  the  twenty-fifth  ? 


44 


A.  Putaminece,  plants  whose  fruit  is  cov- 
ered with  a  hard  woody  shell  ;  as  capper- 
bush,  bastard-mustard,  calabash-tree,  &c. 

28.  Q,.  Which  is  the  twenty-sixth  ? 

A.  Multisiliqitce,  plants  which  have  ma- 
ny seed-vessels ;  as  piony,  columbine,  marsh- 
marigold,  anemone,  &c. 

29.  Q,.  Which  is  the  twenty-seventh  ? 
A*  Rhceadce,  plants  of  the   poppy  tribe, 

or  such  as  resemble  them  in  habit ;  as  prick- 
ly-poppy, poppy,  duck's  foot,  &c. 

30.  Q.  Which  is  the  twenty-eighth  ? 

A.  LuridcB,  plants  of  an  ominous  appear- 
ance, and  hurtful,  or  noxious  ;  as  mullein, 
fox-glove,  the  night-shades,  &c. 

31.  Q,.  Which  is  the  twenty-ninth  ? 

A.  Campanacecz,  plants  having  bell-sha- 
ped flowers  ;  as  convolvulus,  bell-flower, 
Greek  valerian,  &c. 

32.  Q.  Which  is  the  thirtieth  ? 

A.  Contorts,  plants  with  a  monopetalous 
corolla,  twisted  or  bent  towards  one  side  ; 
as  periwinkle,  dog's  bane,  swallow-wort,  &c» 

33.  Q,,  Which  is  the  thirty-first  ? 


A.  Vepracula,  plants  of  the  bramble 
kind,  resembling  the  mezereon,  leather- 
wood,  sparrow-wort,  thesium,  &c. 

34.  Q.  Which  is  the  thirty-second  ? 

A.  Papilionacece,  plants  somewhat  re- 
sembling the  butterfly  in  shape,  of  which 
number  are  the  leguminous  plants,  pease? 
vetches,  lupines,  lucern,  trefoil,  &c. 

35.  Q,.  Which  is  the  thirty-third  ? 

A.  Lomentacece,  plants  which  furnish  a 
fine  dye,  with  others  resembling  them  in  hab- 
it ;  as  mountain-ebony,  wild  senna,  Judas 
tree,  locust-tree,  milk-wort,  acacia,  &c- 

36.  Q.  Which  is  the  thirty-fourth  ? 

A.  Cucurbit acece,  plants  resembling  the 
gourd  in  figure,  habits,  virtues,  and  sensible 
qualities  ;  as  cucumber,  melon?  passion- 
flower, pumpion,  &c. 

37.  Which  is  the  thirty-fifth  ? 

A.  Senlicosw,  plants  of  the  brier  kind, 
and  others  that  resemble  them  in  external 
appearance  ;  as  bramble,  rose,  raspberry, 
ladies'  mantle,  cinquefoil,  &c. 

38.  Q,  Which  is  the  thirty. sixth  »? 


46 


A.  Pomace&t  plants  with  a  pulpy, 
lent  fruit,  of  the  apple,  berry,  and  cherry 
kind  ;  as  apple,  pear,  medlar,  wild  service 
tree,  currantbush,  peach,  apricot,  plum,  &c. 

39.  Q.  Which  is  the  thirty  -seventh  ? 

A.  Columniferce,  plants  whose  stamens 
and  pistils  have  the  appearance  of  a  column 
in  the  middle  of  the  flower  ;  as  mallow,  tea- 
tree,  holly-oak,  althea  frutex,  cotton,  &c. 

40.  Q,.  Which  is  the  thirty -eighth  ? 

A.  Tricocece,  plants  with  a  single  three- 
cornered  capsule,  having  three  cells,  each 
containing  one  seed  ;  as  box-tree,  papaw, 
spurge,  mercury,  palma-christi,  &c. 

41.  Q.  Which  is  <he  thirty -ninth  ? 

A.  Siliquosm,  podded  plants  ;  as  mus- 
tard, scurvy-grass,  moon-wort,  cabbage,  &c. 

42.  Q,.  Which  is  the  fortieth  ? 

A.  Personal,  plants  with  a  masked 
flower  ;  as  snapdragon,  louse-wort,  eye- 
bright,  penny-rattle,  &c, 

43.  Q.  Which  is  the  forty-first  ? 

A.  Asperifolice,  rough-leaved  plants,  as 


47 


borrage,  '"viper-grass,   comfrey,  stone-crop., 
&c. 

44.  Q,.  Which  is  the  forty -second  ? 

A.  Verticillatce,  plants  with  their  flow- 
ers growing  in  whorls,  and  with  four  naked 
seeds,  as  thyme,  savory,  hyssop,  lavender, 
&c. 

45.  Q,.  Which  is  the  forty  -third  ? 

A.  Dumosce,  plants  which  are  thick  set 
with  irregular  branches,  and  bushy  ;  as  hol- 
ly, sumach,  spindie-tree,  elder,  way-faring- 
tree,  &c. 

46.  Q.  Which  is  the  forty-fourth  ? 

A.  Sepiarice,  or  woody  plants  suitable 
for  hedges  ;  as  ash-tree,  privet,  lilac,  &c. 

47.  Q,.  Which  is  the  forty-fifth  ? 

A.  Umbellate,  plants  of  the  umbellifer- 
ous kind ;  as  carrot,  parsnep,  angelica,  anise, 
&c. 

48.  Q.  Which  is  the  forty -sixth  ? 

A.  Hederacece,  plants  resembling  the 
ivy ;  as  vine,  wild-grape,  ginseng,  £c, 

49.  Q.  Which  is  the  forty-seventh  ? 

A.  Stellatce,  starry  plants,  with  two  nak- 


ed  seeds,  and  leaves  round  the  stem,  in  form 
of  a  star  ;  as  woodruff,ladies'  bedstraw,  mad- 
der, cross-wort,  coffee-tree,  dog-wood,  &c. 

50.  Q.  Which  is  the  forty-eighth  ? 

A.  Aggregates,  plants  having  a  number 
of  florets,  with  each  a  proper  and  common 
calyx  ;  as  teasel,  scabious,  honey -suckle, 
&c. 

51.  Q.  Which  is  the  forty-ninth  ? 

A.  Composite,  plants  with  compound 
flowers  ;  as  burdoc,  thistle,  lettuce,  tansy, 
worm-wood,  &c. 

52.  Q.  Which  is  the  fiftieth  ? 

A.  Amentacece,  plants  bearing,  catkins  ; 
as  sallow,  poplar,  birch,  &c. 

53.  Q.  Which  is  the  fifty-first  ? 

A.  Coniferce,  conebearing  plants ;  as  pine? 
cypress,  juniper,  yew,  &c« 

54.  Q.  Which  is  the  fifty-second  ? 

A.  Goadunatce,  plants  with  numerous 
seed-vessels  joined  together,  so  as  to  form 
a  single  round,  or  conical  fruit ;  as  magno- 
lia, tulip-tree,  annona,  &c. 

55.  Q.  Which  is  the  fifty-third  ? 


49 

A.  Scabrida,  plants  with  rugged  or  brist- 
r  leaves  ;  as  fig,  pellitory,  nettle,  &c. 

56.  Q.  Which  is  the  fifty-fourth  ? 

A.  Miscellanea,  miscellaneous  plants,  not 
iducible  to  either  of  the  preceding  orders  ; 

dyer's  weed,  burnet,  duck-meat,  water- 
y»  globe  amaranth,  pine,  &c. 

57.  Q.  Which  is  the  fifty-fifth  ? 

A.  Felices,  plants  of  the  fern  kind  ;  as 
olypody,  brakes,  maidenhair,  spleenwort, 
c. 

53.  Q.  Which  is  the  fifty-sixth  ? 

A.  Htusci9  mosses  ;  as  thread-moss,  wa- 
r-moss, club-moss,  hair-moss,  bog-moss, 
c. 

59.  Q.  Which  is  the  fifty -seventh  ? 

A.  Algce,  plants  of  the  flag  kind  ;  as  lich- 
i,  marchantia,  fucus,  conferva,  &c. 

60.  Q.  Which  is  the  fifty-eighth  ? 

A.  Fungi,  plants  of  the  mushroom  kind  ; 
agaric,  puff-ball,  boletus,  morell. 

61.  Which  is  the  fifty -ninth  ? 

A.  Dubii  ordinis,  or  plants  of  a  boubt- 
I  order  ;  as  barberry,  dodder,  plantain,  <fec. 


50 
CHAP.  V. 

Accidents,  and  Qualities  of  Plants,  &c. 

1.  Q.  What  is  meant  by  the   habitats  of 
plants  ? 

A.  That  disposition  which  plants  show 
for  peculiar  soils  and  situations,  even  in 
the  same  climate  ;  while  almost  every  cli- 
mate has  its  diversity  of  vegetables. 

2.  Q.     Do  plants  correspond  with  each 
other  in  the  same  climates,  throughout  the 
globe  ? 

A.  By  no  means.  The  climate  respects 
the  latitude,  longitude,  and  altitude,  of  the 
place,  or  its  elevation  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  Latitude  alone  is  not  sufficient ;  as, 
for  instance,  Rome  in  Italy,  Pekin  in  China, 
and  New-York  in  America,  are  situated 
nearly  under  the  same  degree  of  north  lati- 
tude, yet  their  plants  are  very  different. 
Again ;  Palestine  and  Florida  on  the  north, 
and  the  Cape  of  Good-Hope  and  Chili  on 
the  South,  are  nearly  under  the  same  lati- 


51 


tude,  but  the  plants  of  those  countries  are 
not  at  all  similar. 

3.  Q,.  Is  it  not  altitude  then  that  has  the 
most  considerable  influence? 

A.  It  certainly  is  ;  for  the  aquatic  plants 
of  India  often  agree  with  those  of  Europe  ; 
as  sun-dew,  the  water-lily,  arrow-head,  &c.  ; 
while  the  plants  of  Lapland,  Greenland,  Si- 
beria, Wales,  Scotland,  Switzerland,  Olyrn- 
pus,  Ararat,  and  the  Brazils,  are  often  the 
same,  though  growing  in  places  so  remote 
from  each  other. 

4.  Q.    Is  there  any  general  arrangement 
of  plants  according  to  their  habitats  ? 

A.  They  may  be  arranged  under  the 
six  following  heads  ;  — 1.  Aquatic  ;  2.  Al- 
pine ;  3.  Hilly  ;  4.  Shady;  5.  Campaign; 
and  6.  Parasitic  plants  ;  each  of  which 
contains  several  subdivisions. 

5.  Q,.  Will  you  give  me  an  example  of 
aquatic  plants  ? 

A.  In  the  sea  grow  many  of  the  confer- 
vas, some  charas,  ulvas  or  layers,  all  the 


52 

fucusea,  grass-wrack,  &c.  On  the  sea-shores, 
are  sea  buck-thorn,  sea  purslane,  sea  orache, 
sea  star-wort,  sea  milk-wort,  sea  holly, 
sea  lavender,  sea  plantain,  sea  worm-wood, 
sea  colewort,  marsh  samphire,  prickly  glass- 
wort,  and  many  others.  In  lakes  we  find 
quill-wort,  yellow  and  white  water  lily, 
pond-weed,  water  milfoil,  gladiole,  river 
horse-tail,  awl-wort,  bastard  plantain,  &c. 
In  more  shallow  waters  grow  water  caltrops, 
several  kinds  of  pond-weed,  vernal  and  au- 
tumnal star-wort,  water-soldier,  frog's-bit, 
arrow-head,  flowering  rush,  water  violet, 
water-hemlock,  water  parsnip,  sweet-flag, 
flote  fescuegrass,  brook-lime,  water-cresses, 
clubrush,  marsh  fleabane,  loose-strife,  water 
horehound,  hemp  agrimony,  willow  herb, 
water-mint,  water  germander,  water  radish, 
&c.  In  places  subject  to  be  flooded,  jve 
find  alder,  different  kinds  of  willow,  arrow- 
headed  grass,  burnet,  dwarf  honeysuckle, 
marsh  marigold,  calathian  violet,  strawber- 
ry trefoil,  marsh  chickling  vetch,  small  flea- 
bane,  allseed,  &c.  In  spongy,  springy 


53 


lady's  mantle,  white  corn  caaipion,  bulbose 
crow-foot,  bird's  nest,  hop  trefoil,  meadow 
soft  grass,  &c.  On  the  declivities,  or  dry 
sloping  sides  of  little  hills,  grow  oak,  white 
beam-tree,  mountain  'ash,  garden  plum,  ho- 
ney-suckle, burnet,  rose,  horn-beam,  com- 
mon maple,  mountain  trefoil,  perforate  St. 
John's  wort,  bloody  crane's  bill,  white  sax- 
ifrage, milfcwort,  yarrow,  adder's  tongue, 
crested  cow-wheat,  &c.  In  rocky  and  sto- 
ny places,  are  found  raspberry  bush,  differ- 
ent species  of  stone-crop,  house  leek,  poly- 
pody, wall-rue,  Solomon's  seal,  herb  Rob- 
ert, stone  bramble,  melick  grass,  creeping 
pea,  Nottingham  catchfly,  mountain  hair 
grass,  &c. 

8.  Q,.  What  plants  delight  in  groves  and 
woods  ? 

A.  All  the  shady  plants  delight  in  such 
situations  ;  as  beech,  ash,  hazel,  lime,  great- 
er maple,  buckthorn,  cluster  cherry,  spin- 
dle-tree, mountain  currants,  spurge  olive, 
blackberry-bearing  alder,  sweet-brier,  bram 
ble,  millet-grass,  enchanter's  nightshade, 


55 


I  sanicle,  yellow  nettle  hemp.  May  lily,  yel- 
low star  of  Bethlehem,  cowslips,  great  throat- 
wort,  herb  paris,  wood-roof,  fir,  yew,  junip- 
er, barberry,  trembling  poplar,  birch,  black 
whorts,  winter-green,  wood  anemone,  sever- 
ral  species  of  club-moss,  yellow  cow-wheat, 
upright  cudweed,  &c. 

9.  Q,.  What  plants  are  most  common  in 
champaign  situations  ? 

A.  On  heaths,  commons,  fields,  and  fal- 
lows, we  find  such  plants  as  dewberry-bush, 
prickly  restharrow,  small  bind  weed,  corn- 
mint,  poppy,  pease,  gold  of  pleasure,  nip- 
ple wort,  smooth  tare,  wart  wort,  loose  panic 
grass,  Deptford  pink,  bearded  wild  oats, 
annual  darnel,  silky  bent  grass,  and  broom 
grass.  In  closes,  ploughed  lands,  and  on 
dung-hills,  rubbish,  &c.  grow  herb  gerrard, 
dandelion,  fool's  parsely,  orache,  blite,  shep- 
herd's purse,  nettle,  spurge,  common  elm, 
cat-mint,  wormwood,  plantain,  white  briony, 
hound's  tongue,  motherwort,  henbane,  ver- 
vain, weld,  mallow,  knot-grass,  ragwort,  <fec. 
In  meadows  and  pastures  we  find  such 


plants  as  the  following  : — Apples,  pears, 
darnel,  meadow  trefoil,  dropwort,  various 
kinds  of  hair-grass,  cat's  tail  grass,  fox-tail 
grass,  yellow  devil's  bit,  purging  flax,  goat's 
beard,  &c.  In  shady  ground  grow  s?m<l 
willow,  common  broom,  dyer's  weed,  privet, 
lime  grass,  stone  pink,  several  kinds  of  ca- 
rex,  wild  thyme,  toad-flax  thrift,  fescue 
grass,  mousear,  chickweed,  cudweed,  spur- 
ry,  lamb's  lettuce,  mouse-tail,  sea  canary 
grass.  In  clayey  ground  are  found,  com- 
mon colt's  foot,  hairy  plantain,  lady's  finger, 
common  cinquefoil,  wild  succory,  middle 
fleabane,  &c.  In  chalky  ground,  saintfoin, 
tufted  horse-shoe  vetch,  lesser  throatwort, 
base  rocket,  wall  flower,  &c. 

10.  Q,.  What  is  meant  by  parasitical 
plants? 

A.  Such  as  grow  on  the  trunks,  branches, 
and  roots  of  trees,  or  other  plants;  as  mistle- 
toe, dodder,  bird's  nest,  ophrys,  toothwort, 
broom  rape,  besides  various  mosses,  lichens, 
and  funguses. 


57 


of  the  atmosphere.  2.  Tropical,  or  such  as 
open  in  the  morning,  and  shut  before  night. 
4.  Equinoctial,  or  such  as  open  precisely  at 
a  certain  hour  of  the  day  and  shut  up  again 
at  a  determinate  hour.  Nothing  is  more 
curious  than  this  part  of  Botany  ;  but  I  can- 
not in  this  place,  enter  into  details. 

14.  Q,.  Are  not   the  virtues  and  uses  of 
plants  of  great  importance  to  be  known  ? 

A.  Certainly  they  are,  and  in  all  ages, 
the  scientific  have  applied  themselves  to 
make  discoveries  of  this  kind  ;  though,  as 
they  have  long  proceeded  without  judgment, 
some  trusting  to  experience  only,  and  oth- 
ers forming  fanciful  theories,  from  astrology 
and  the  doctrine  of  signatures,  or  the  imagi 
nary  resemblance  that  plants  had  to  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  human  body,  for  which  they 
were  reputed  specifics,  it  is  only  to  the 
moderns  that  we  are  indebted  for  any  accu- 
rate knowledge  of  the  virtues  and  qualities 
of  plants. 

15.  Q,.  Will  you  favour  me  with  some 
rules  for  acquiring  this  kind  of  knowledge  ? 


I 


59 


A.  It  must  be  derived  from  the  fructifica" 
tion  ;  observing,  at  the  same  time,  the  taste, 
smell,  colour,  aud  place  of  growth.  In  gen- 
eral it  may  be  observed,  that  all  plants  of 
the  same  genus  agree  in  their  virtues  ;  those 
of  the  same  order,  in  the  natural  method, 
are  nearly  of  the  same  virtues  ;  and  those 
which  are  of  the  same  natural  class,  have,  in 
some  measure,  the  same  virtues  also.  Thus 
all  the  species  of  allium,  viz,  garlic,  onion, 
leek,  cives,  eschalots,  rockambole,  <fec.  have 
the  same  sensible  qualities  ;  and  this  in  a 
great  degree,  holds  good  of  the  natural  class- 
es, as  in  umbelliferous,  compound,  papil- 
ionaceous plants,  and  several  others. 

16.  Q.  This  appears  to  be  the  most 
pleasing  aad  useful  part  of  botany  ;  and  you 
will  oblige  me  by  distinguishing  the  virtues 
and  qualities  of  the  most  remarkable  and 
valuable  natural  classes. 

A.  I  am  glad  that  I  have  awakened  your 
curiosity.  I  will  begin  with  grasses,  com- 
prehended in  the  sexual  system,  under  tri- 
andria  digynia^  and  constituting  the  fourth 


60 

order  of  the  natural  method.  These  all  fur- 
nish nourishment  and  support  to  men  anc 
animals ;  the  grassy  herb  is  the  common 
food  of  our  flocks,  herds,  and  beasts  of  bur- 
den ;  the  seeds  of  many  grasses  are  greedi- 
ly devoured  by  poultry  and  small  birds  ;  and 
the  larger  seeds,  or  grain,  as  wheat,  rye,  bar- 
ley,  oats,  rice,  millet,  &c.  all  constitute  the 
daily  food  of  mankind.  Among  this  large 
and  numerous  tribe  there  is  not  one  poison- 
ous species.  The  sugar-cane,  whose  pro- 
duce, though  formerly  a  luxury,  is  now  be- 
come  a  necessary  in  domestic  economy,  be- 
longs to  it. 

17.  Q,.  Have  not  the  starry  plants  some 
peculiar  virtues  ? 

A.  The  starry  plants,  among  which  are 
madder,  woodroof,  &c.  belonging  to  the  fe- 
trandria  monogynia,  and  the  forty-seventh 
order  of  the  natural  method,  are  all  diuretic, 
and  some  of  them  are  employed  in  medicine 
on  that  account. 

18.  Q.    WhaJ  is  the  character  of  the 
rough-leaved  planti  ? 


61 


A.  Those  which  belong  lo  the  pent andria 
monogynia,  and  forty-first  order  of  the  nat- 
ural method,  are  all  more  or  less  of  the  ole- 
raceous  kind,  and  are  also  uiucilagenous  and 
glutinous.  Of  the  oleraceous  kind,  are  bor- 
rage,  alkanet,  &c.  of  the  mucilagenous,  coni- 
frey-root,  &c. 

19.  Q,.  What  have  you  to  observe  of  the 
lurid  plants  ? 

A.  Lurid  plants  are  such  as  have  a  for 
bidding  aspect,  or  disagreeable  smell,  be- 
longing to  the  pentandria  monogynia,  and 
twenty -eighth  natural  order,  are  mostly  ber- 
ry-bearing plants,  and  generally  poisonous. 
— Among  these  we  find  the  nightshades, 
winter  cherry,  mad  apple,  henbane,  tobacco, 
mullein,  &c.  Even  potatoes,  which  when 
dressed,  are  such  a  valuable  aliment,  belong 
to  the  family  ;  and  some  parts  of  the  plant 
are  not  free  from  the  general  character. 

20.  Q,.  What  is  the  character  of  the  um- 
belliferous plants  ? 

A.  Umbelliferous  plants,  belonging  to  the 
pentandria  digynia,  and  forty-fifth  order  of 
6 


62 

the  natural  method,  when  they  grow  natu- 
rally in  dry  soils,  are  aromatic  and  heating  ; 
when  in  watery  places,  they  are  often  poi- 
sonous. Of  the  former  kind  are  wild  car- 
rot, fennel,  carraway,  anise,  parsley,  &c. 
of  the  latter  are  hemlock,  dropwort,  common 
water  hemlock,  wild  srnallage,  least  water 
parsnep.  The  virtues  of  umbelliferous 
plants  reside  in  their  roots  and  seeds. 

21.  Q,.  What  may  be  observed  of  plants 
belonging  to  the  hexandrious  class  ? 

A.  Plants  of  this  class,  belonging  to  the 
ninth  and  tenth  orders  of  the  natural  meth- 
od, have  roots  which  are  either  esculent  or 
poisonous,  according  to  their  smell  and  taste. 
The  strong  disagreeable  smell  of  the  roots 
of  snow-drops,  squills,  hyacinths,  &c.  warns 
us  to  avoid  them.  Even  onions  and  leeks 
are  acrimonious  and  corrosive,  when  raw, 
if  taken  in  too  large  quantities  ;  but  roasted^ 
or  boiled,  they  become  esculent  and  pleas- 
ant. The  roots  of  such  as  have  no  smell* 
may  be  eaten  safely  ;  even  the  tulip  is  used 
for  food  in  Italy. 


63 


22.  Q.  What  may   be  observed  of  the 
hicornes  ? 

A.  The  bicornes,  or  plants  with  horned 
anthers,  belonging  to  the  eighth  and  tenth 
classes,  and  the  eighteenth  natural  order, 
are  astringent,  and  their  acid  berries,  such 
as  whorts,  bear  berries,  &c.  esculent. 

23.  Q.  From  which  class  and  natural  or- 
der have  we  our  fruits  ? 

A.  From  the  class  icosandria,  and  the 
nineteenth,  thirty-fifth,  and  thirty-sixth  na- 
tural orders,  we  have  the  pulpy  fruits,  which 
are  esculent  and  wholesome  ;  such  as  apples, 
pears,  pomegranates,  wild  service,  medlar, 
hips,  bramble,  raspberry,  strawberry,  al- 
mond, peach,  plumb,  apricot,  cherry,&c.  Not 
one  plant  of  this  class  has  poisonous  fruit ; 
and  but  few  have  deleterious  leaves. 

24.  Q.  What  may  be  observed  of  the 
polyandrious  class  ? 

A.  Plants  of  this  class  belonging  to  the 
twenty-sixth,  and  twenty-seventh  natural  or- 
ders, are  chiefly  poisonous.  Among  these 
are  wolf's  bane,  columbines,  larkspur,  helle 


64 


bore,  pasque  flower,  piony,  water  lily, 
spurge,  &c.  ail  of  which  are  more  or  less 
noxious.  Even  tea  is  dangerous  when  fresh 
cured ;  and,  at  best,  is  under  every  circum- 
stance unfriendly  to  nature. 

25.  Q,.   Wha*  is  the  character  of  the  ver- 
ticillate  plants  ? 

A.  Those  which  belong  to  the  didyna- 
mia  gyrnnospermia,  and  the  forty-second 
natural  order,  are  fragrant,  nervine,  resol- 
vent, and  deobslruent  ;  their  virtue  chiefly 
residing  in  their  leaves.  There  is  no  pois- 
onous or  hurtful  plant  of  this  family.  The 
Syrian  marum  is  the  most  fragrant  of  plants^ 
and  acts  powerfully  on  the  olfactory  nerves ; 
marjoram,  pennyroyal,  mint,  baurn,  laven- 
der, rosemary,  sage,  clary,  &c.  are  all 
highly  fragrant,  and  useful  in  nervous  disor- 
ders. 

26.  Q.  What  may   be  observed   of  the 
podded  plants  ? 

A.  They  are  the  tetradynamia  class, 
and  thirty-ninth  natural  order,  including 
scurvy-grass,  horse-raddish,  water  cresses* 


65 


mustard,  &c.  none  of  which  are  noxious,  or 
hurtful.  The  virtues  of  these  plants  are 
lost  by  drying.  Such  as  grow  in  moist  or 
watery  places,  when  fresh,  are  acrid,  as- 
tringent, and  diuretic.  Many  of  thetetrady- 
namious  are  used  as  pot-herbs. 

27.  Q,.  Will  you  give  me  the  character  of 
the  pillar-bearing  plants  ? 

A.  The  Golunmiferce,  or  pillar-bearing 
plants,  belonging  to  the  thirty-ninth  natural 
order,  and  the  monadelphia  ^polyandria 
class,  have  all  an  eraolient  or  softening  quali- 
ty. Whoever  is  acquainted  with  the  nature 
of  mallows,  and  marsh  mallows,  knows  the 
*  effects  of  them  all.  Not  one  of  them  is  poi- 
sonous or  hurtful. 

28.  Q,.  What  may  be  observed  of  the  pa- 
pilionaceous plants. 

A.  These  belong  to  the  diadelphia  de- 
candria  class,  and  the  thirty-second  natural 
order.  Their  leaves  are  eaten  by  cattle 
and  beasts  of  burden  ;  and  their  seeds,  which 
are  farinaceous  and  flatulent,  are  the  food  of 
various  animals  ;  some  of  them,  as  pease  and 


66 


beans,  are  eaten  by  men  ;  but,  except  for 
strong  and  sound  stomachs,  they  are  improp- 
er, especially  if  not  well  boiled.  Among 
all  the  leguminous  or  papilionaceous  tribes, 
there  are  no  deleterious  or  hurtful  plants. 

29.  Q,.  What  is  the  character  of  the  syn- 
genesioua  plants  ? 

A.  Plants  of  the  syngenesia  class  and 
t^he  forty -ninth  order  of  the  natural  method, 
are  commonly  bitter,  and  many  of  them  used 
in  medicine.  We  find  among  them  cok's 
foot,  pillitory,  leopard's  bane,  succory,  vi- 
per's grass,  dandelion,  wormwood,  south- 
ernwood, tansy,  charnomile,  golden  rod, 
daisy,  yarrow,  carline,  thistle,hawkweed,&c. 
Except  the  wild  lettuce,  with  a  milky  juice 
the  leopard's  bane,  and  the  safflower,  and 
perhaps  a  few  others,  none  are  poisonous. 

30.  Q.  To  what  class  and  natural  order 
do  the  orchis  tribe  belong  ? 

A.  The  orchidece  belong  to  the  gynan- 
dria  diandria  of  Linnseus,  and  the  seventh 
natural  order.  The  roots  of  all  are  highly 


67 


nutritious,  and  many  of  them  might  be  culti- 
vated with  advantage.  When  fresh,  they 
smell  rather  rank. 

31.  Q.  What  have  we  to  observe  of  the 
cone-bearing  plants  ? 

A.  These  belong  to  the  fifty-first  natural 
order,  and  are  all  resinous  and  diuretic.  A- 
mong  them  we  find  pines,  firs,  junipers,  cy- 
press, turpentine-tree,  savin,  £c.  They 
are  evergreen,  and  possess  considerable 
medical  properties. 

32.  Q,.  Have  you  any  thing  to  remark  of 
the  cryptogamia  class-? 

A.  This  class  which  includes  the  fifty- 
fifth,  fifty-sixth,  fifty-seventh,  and  fifty- 
eighth  natural  orders,  contains  chiefly  sus- 
pected or  dangerous  plants.  Some  of  the 
fungi  are  esculent,  though  none  are  perfect- 
ly safe  ;  a  few  of  the  lichens  and  ferns  are 
useful  in  medicine  ;  but  most  plants  of  this 
class  have  a  disagreeable  flavour,  or  bad 
smell,  which  warns  us  of  their  danger. 

33.  Q,.  Is  smell  then  an  indication  of  the 
qualities  of  plants  ? 


68 


A.  Not  only  smell,  but  taste  and  colour 
indicate  qualities.  The  external  senses  in- 
deed, are  the  natural  instruments  by  which 
animals  are  to  explore  the  qualities  of  plants 
and  other  substances  ;  and  they  seldom  di- 
rect wrong.  The  Author  of  Nature,  howev- 
er, has  not  only  given  different  animals  dif- 
ferent tastes,  but  has  provided  that  some 
plants  should  be  acceptable  and  salutary  to 
or,  rhss  of  animals  while  they  are  danger- 
ous or  v;^;r^f'rp  to  other?-  S?pM  andsweet- 
gjEeflingpiauh  ^;  nauseous 

and  stinking  ones  <u-t:  fM.ni  the  contrary. 

3J.   Q.  ?<2ar  rr*  **^  "nil 5 lies  of  plants  be 
alter 

A.  A  dry  soil  ren- 

ders  plants    more    a;  a   moist  soil, 

more  insipid  ;  and  a  watery  -oil  more  cor- 
rosive ;  but  the  latter  will  Sose  a  great  part 
of  their  acrimony,  if  cultivated  in  a  dry 
place. 

35.    Q,.  How  do  medicinal  plants  act  on 
men  ind  animals  ? 

A.  They  either  act  by  their   effluvia  on 


69 


be  nerves,  or  by  their  sapid  parts  on  the 
luscular  fibres,  or  by  both  on  the   fluids, 
[some  plants  will  give  a  disagreeable  taste  to 
he  milk  or  the   flesh  of  animals  feeding  on 
hem  ;  and  some  even  stain  the  bones.  The 
|  lowers  of  the  tuberose  will  make  an  hyster- 
lical  woman  faint ;  cinnamon  has  a  powerful 
[effect  on  the  nervous  system ;  the  flowers  of 
oleander  will  bring  on  a  kind  of  apoplexy; 
and  the  smell  of  rue  will  recover  such  as  are 
overcome  with  fragrant  odours.      All  the 
Europeans  who  first  landed  in  Surinam,  died 
suddenly,  without  any  one  being  able  to  as- 
sign the  cause  ;  but  at  last  it  was  traced  to 
the  smell  of  the  manchineel-tree.  The  shade 
of  walnut,  elder,  &c.  is  prejudicial   to  those 
who  sleep  or  sit  under  it.     The  very  smell 
of  coloquintida  will  both  vomit  and  purge  ; 
but  it  would  be  endless  to  enumerate  all  the 
effects  of  plants. 

36.  Q.  Though  some  plants  may  be  hurt- 
ful, are  they  not  in  general  of  great  use  ? 

A.  Their  economical  uses  are  so  great 


70 


that  without  then],  neither  men  nor  animals 
could  be  supported.  They  furnish  not  on- 
ly food,  but  medicine.  They  supply  mate- 
rials for  building  houses,  ships,  carriages, 
and  agricultural  implements;  for  dyeing 
and  tanning  ;  for  painting  ;  for  raiment, 
as  flax  and  cotton ;  for  pleasure,  for  com- 
merce, and  for  ornament ;  and,  in  short,  are 
applicable  to  every  purpose  of  life. 


FINIS- 


